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LinkedIn’s Vice President Calls For Building An Inclusive Workplace Culture

• ByStartupStory     |    June 29, 2021

June is regarded as pride month, to recognize the contributions of LGBTQ+ people of the society, and make them feel part of the mainstream society. Keeping that in mind,  LinkedIn’s Vice President calls for building an inclusive workplace. She is herself a lesbian Afro – latina, and also looks in to bringing Global Diversity, Belonging and Inclusion in to the company. She says that altering small things in the workplace culture can go a long way. There should be equality and equity in office culture and people should not be outcasted because of theory sexuality, physical look and race. Though several reforms have been made throughout the world in regards to LGBTQ+ people, they still continue to face dsicrimination in the workplace. In 2020, a law was made that an employee cannot be fired simply because he/she is gay, bisexaul or transgender.  According to a research by LinkedIn, 47 % of LGBTQ+ professionals believe that coming out of the closet will impact negatively in their career. One third of them have faced blatant discrimination at work, and one in every four LGBTQ+ employees fear that if their colleagues and boss know about their true identity, the would be treated differently. And to think about it, it is simply horrible !

LinkedIn’s Vice President calls for building an inclusive workplace and not in vain. She  says ,” My identity puts me at the intersection of many different worlds. It also makes the topic of diversity, inclusion,and belonging inherently personal to me. Being a multifaceted human being is what inspired my own awareness of the alchemy that results when our human differences are valued, appreciated and welcomed. In 2020, including a rainbow in the company logo, or hanging a pride flag in the office is simply futile. Actual changes need to be brought about, from the grassroot level to the top section. It is important for a company to actively challenge the status quo , by examining and changing their own internal policies and ofcourse the attitudes of the cis – heterosexual employyes, Samll changes such as adding preferred pronouns to corporate email signatures, equlsaizing benefits, creating a trans –  inclusive healthcare and psychological safey can help LGBTQ+ people feel inclusive, and after years of oppression, thsi much can be done to make an all inclusive safe environment.

 

 

 

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